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Crossing Antarctica
In March 1990, Will Steger completed what no man had ever before attempted: the crossing of Antarctica, a total of 3,700 miles, on foot. Lured by the challenge and the beauty of Earth's last great wilderness, and determined to focus the world's attention on the frozen continent now that its ecological future hangs in the balance, Steger and his International Trans–Arctica team performed an extraordinary feat of endurance.
312 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 10, 2023
There’s nothing like reading about horrors endured in the Antarctic to make your own problems fade into insignificance.
Will Steger’s 1989-90 Trans Antarctica Expedition was the first crossing of the entire continent, including sections that had never before been travelled on foot. He assembled an international team of six men from six different countries, and with dog-hauled sleds took seven months to travel nearly 4000 miles. (Of course, there had been previous continental crossings but none as long or without using motorized transport.)
This story is appealing in that it wasn’t undertaken purely for the personal challenge, or to be the first, or to recreate some pioneering journey with arbitrary restrictions; rather it was to alert the world to the dangers of mineral exploitation and of global warming, and in doing so they would have considered the adventure a success even if they had had to bail. In the author’s words, “It was an effort in part to help preserve and protect one of Earth’s last frontiers by drawing attention to it.”
What struck me about this trek was Steger’s humility and organizational skills in the face of continual danger, inevitable boredom and unforeseen problems (for example, the support group failed to properly lay out three of the first six supply caches. And Steger ended up, halfway to the South Pole, having to arrange the return of his film crew to South America himself, when the same group failed to provide air transport.)
There were some quite weird moments too – I found just the existence of a film crew at various points along the route was surreal, as was Steger’s description of the reception they got at the US base at the South Pole – frosty (!), due to bureaucratic policies discouraging individual explorers. That contrasted wildly with their rapturous reception at Vostok, the Russian base 800 miles farther on.
I've read several books on polar exploration, and this is right up there with the best - a great read.
Will Steger’s 1989-90 Trans Antarctica Expedition was the first crossing of the entire continent, including sections that had never before been travelled on foot. He assembled an international team of six men from six different countries, and with dog-hauled sleds took seven months to travel nearly 4000 miles. (Of course, there had been previous continental crossings but none as long or without using motorized transport.)
This story is appealing in that it wasn’t undertaken purely for the personal challenge, or to be the first, or to recreate some pioneering journey with arbitrary restrictions; rather it was to alert the world to the dangers of mineral exploitation and of global warming, and in doing so they would have considered the adventure a success even if they had had to bail. In the author’s words, “It was an effort in part to help preserve and protect one of Earth’s last frontiers by drawing attention to it.”
What struck me about this trek was Steger’s humility and organizational skills in the face of continual danger, inevitable boredom and unforeseen problems (for example, the support group failed to properly lay out three of the first six supply caches. And Steger ended up, halfway to the South Pole, having to arrange the return of his film crew to South America himself, when the same group failed to provide air transport.)
There were some quite weird moments too – I found just the existence of a film crew at various points along the route was surreal, as was Steger’s description of the reception they got at the US base at the South Pole – frosty (!), due to bureaucratic policies discouraging individual explorers. That contrasted wildly with their rapturous reception at Vostok, the Russian base 800 miles farther on.
I've read several books on polar exploration, and this is right up there with the best - a great read.
February 26, 2025
In his writing, Steger unintentionally emulates the worst part of the trek across Antarctica—the boredom, the monotony, the repetition, the monotony, the boredom—and adds a heaping dose of self-importance. Like the crossing of Antarctica itself, this book was a struggle to get through (and likewise it took me months). At least I can now start a different exploration book.
September 22, 2010
If you've ever been on an extended wilderness vacation you know that during the first few days you think about unfinished business at home, tasks to do, etc. As time passes you totally forget about anything but what surrounds you. You have no contact with the outside world and it is the most liberating, peaceful feeling that you'll ever experience.
Having said that, I can't imagine spending 7 months crossing Antarctica with temperatures as low as -50 with windchills over -100. Will Steger is a internationally known adventurer who started when he was 15. He's crossed the Arctic several times with his dogsled.
But over the years he started noticing the effects of humans on even the most desolate places. Then global warming. In the late 1980s he organized a trip that had never been done before. With 5 other explorers representing five other countries, he planned a 4000 mile trip across Antarctica to bring attention to the area and hopefully preserve it forever. Millions of school children followed the trip as did the press from all over the world. Since then Steger, a modest and quiet man, has devoted his life to educating people about how to respect and revere the environment.
This book is tells the story of that trip and it's lively and exciting. Although the team could probably have been rescued at any time, there was still the problem of whiteouts and not being able to see the tents, wandering off and easily getting lost (one of them did). The sled dogs were amazing, although one of them died along the way.
If you like books about adventuring as I do, this is a fantastic read.
Having said that, I can't imagine spending 7 months crossing Antarctica with temperatures as low as -50 with windchills over -100. Will Steger is a internationally known adventurer who started when he was 15. He's crossed the Arctic several times with his dogsled.
But over the years he started noticing the effects of humans on even the most desolate places. Then global warming. In the late 1980s he organized a trip that had never been done before. With 5 other explorers representing five other countries, he planned a 4000 mile trip across Antarctica to bring attention to the area and hopefully preserve it forever. Millions of school children followed the trip as did the press from all over the world. Since then Steger, a modest and quiet man, has devoted his life to educating people about how to respect and revere the environment.
This book is tells the story of that trip and it's lively and exciting. Although the team could probably have been rescued at any time, there was still the problem of whiteouts and not being able to see the tents, wandering off and easily getting lost (one of them did). The sled dogs were amazing, although one of them died along the way.
If you like books about adventuring as I do, this is a fantastic read.
August 26, 2020
I seem to need to read books about . outdoor physical endeavors – this one is about a seven (!!) month crossing Antarctica by dogsled. Although this is hardly the most exciting or intriguing of the expedition books, I did like some of the author’s reflections. He writes a fair amount about early expeditions to Antarctica and how different it is today with their airplane food drops and radio access. (The book was published in 1992): He quotes Jean-Louis, one of his traveling companions: “The unknown made their trips very exciting and I would have preferred that. But today it is not possible.” (p.77)
Steger also reflects on what it means emotionally to be travelling by dogsled in a barren but dangerous place: “That’s what I like about being on the trail for several days or weeks; it allows your mind to clear and …concentration then comes naturally.” (p 88) I find that is true even on my more difficult day hikes, especially when I see few other people; it is one of the reasons I need to hike. And later, “…human strength lies not in resistance but in giving in. If we are to survive Antarctica, we must give in to nature, not fight it.” (p. 127)
But what may have intrigued me most was Steger’s experiences with the US bureaucracy. The team stopped at the US base at the South Pole. The regular folks at the pole were very pleased to see them, but were NOT ALLOWED to do more than basically wave hello. The men on the expedition were not allowed to use any of the US facilities – no showers, no food, no tents or buildings, nothing. A US spokesman was flown in from a coastal base for the sole reason of reading aloud the US policy on expeditionary forces not supported by the US government. Bureaucracy writ large (and cold). This was 1990! Things have only become more bureaucratic and less humane. At least it was clear that the every-day folks at the US pole station, wished they could be more welcoming, but feared losing their jobs if they did more! And compare that with the warm welcome and help given by the Russians at their bases at Vostok and Mirnyy – totally different approach (including showers, place to stay inside, special meals, etc.).
The author often remarks on how basically boring a trip across Antarctica can be. He loves the Arctic and realizes that is a better place for him. The book does get a bit boring at times, but Steger’s reflections and historical commentary make it worthwhile.
Steger also reflects on what it means emotionally to be travelling by dogsled in a barren but dangerous place: “That’s what I like about being on the trail for several days or weeks; it allows your mind to clear and …concentration then comes naturally.” (p 88) I find that is true even on my more difficult day hikes, especially when I see few other people; it is one of the reasons I need to hike. And later, “…human strength lies not in resistance but in giving in. If we are to survive Antarctica, we must give in to nature, not fight it.” (p. 127)
But what may have intrigued me most was Steger’s experiences with the US bureaucracy. The team stopped at the US base at the South Pole. The regular folks at the pole were very pleased to see them, but were NOT ALLOWED to do more than basically wave hello. The men on the expedition were not allowed to use any of the US facilities – no showers, no food, no tents or buildings, nothing. A US spokesman was flown in from a coastal base for the sole reason of reading aloud the US policy on expeditionary forces not supported by the US government. Bureaucracy writ large (and cold). This was 1990! Things have only become more bureaucratic and less humane. At least it was clear that the every-day folks at the US pole station, wished they could be more welcoming, but feared losing their jobs if they did more! And compare that with the warm welcome and help given by the Russians at their bases at Vostok and Mirnyy – totally different approach (including showers, place to stay inside, special meals, etc.).
The author often remarks on how basically boring a trip across Antarctica can be. He loves the Arctic and realizes that is a better place for him. The book does get a bit boring at times, but Steger’s reflections and historical commentary make it worthwhile.
April 4, 2019
I rarely read non-fiction and this book felt pretty profound to me. If you appreciate the natural world and mans struggle with control and perseverance you should read this book.
April 15, 2009
I generally enjoy reading fiction, but after having read some 20 novels over the last few months, I decided I needed a change from my normal reading habits. While wandering through the non-fiction section of the library, I came across Crossing Antarctica, a firsthand account of the International Trans-Antarctica Expedition’s historic trek across the wilderness of Antarctica. Three pages into the book I was hooked, and it turned out to be one of the most fascinating books I have ever read.
Beginning in late July 1989, Will Steger and the other five members of the International Trans-Antarctica Expedition landed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over the next 220 days, traveling only by dogsled and ski, the team crossed the entire continent of Antarctica, ending the expedition at the Soviet base of Mirnyy.
They traveled over 3,700 miles, enduring some the most harsh and severe weather Mother Earth has to offer. Extreme cold combined with high winds often created daytime wind chills below
-100° F, and blowing snow often limited visibility to a few feet. Under conditions like these the expedition traveled literally thousands of miles across Antarctica’s frozen wasteland.
The International Trans-Antarctica Expedition was comprised of members from six world nations; the United States, Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and Japan. The expedition was organized by American Will Steger and French team member Jean-Louis Etienne. By assembling an international group, they hoped to raise global awareness of Antarctica’s value as a center for scientific research and international cooperation. Accordingly, two of the team members were scientists; Soviet Victor Boyarsky and Chinese Qin Dahe. Geoff Somers of Great Britain provided the necessary navigational skills, and Japan’s Keizo Funatsu supplied the necessary skills to keep 24 high strung sled dogs happy and healthy.
The book is arranged chronologically, based on the journal Will Steger kept as the expedition progressed, with periodic excerpts from the journals of Geoff Somers and Jean-Louis Etienne. Steger detailed every aspect of the journey; daily weather conditions, equipment breakdowns, logistical problems, etc. As I read the book, I was repeatedly struck by just how difficult the journey was; the expedition was a daily exercise in survival for man and dog alike. Hundreds of deep crevasses had to be crossed, passes through mountains navigated and food and supply caches located, often in blinding snow and brutal weather conditions. Even with three years of careful planning and training, seven months of daily exposure to Antarctica’s harsh conditions demanded everything the team members had, both physically and mentally.
The book was one of the best I have read in a long time. I found it a captivating read and would highly recommend it to anyone. The account is truly a testament to mankind’s infinite possibilities; even the seemingly impossible can be accomplished if you possess the will to achieve it.
Beginning in late July 1989, Will Steger and the other five members of the International Trans-Antarctica Expedition landed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Over the next 220 days, traveling only by dogsled and ski, the team crossed the entire continent of Antarctica, ending the expedition at the Soviet base of Mirnyy.
They traveled over 3,700 miles, enduring some the most harsh and severe weather Mother Earth has to offer. Extreme cold combined with high winds often created daytime wind chills below
-100° F, and blowing snow often limited visibility to a few feet. Under conditions like these the expedition traveled literally thousands of miles across Antarctica’s frozen wasteland.
The International Trans-Antarctica Expedition was comprised of members from six world nations; the United States, Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and Japan. The expedition was organized by American Will Steger and French team member Jean-Louis Etienne. By assembling an international group, they hoped to raise global awareness of Antarctica’s value as a center for scientific research and international cooperation. Accordingly, two of the team members were scientists; Soviet Victor Boyarsky and Chinese Qin Dahe. Geoff Somers of Great Britain provided the necessary navigational skills, and Japan’s Keizo Funatsu supplied the necessary skills to keep 24 high strung sled dogs happy and healthy.
The book is arranged chronologically, based on the journal Will Steger kept as the expedition progressed, with periodic excerpts from the journals of Geoff Somers and Jean-Louis Etienne. Steger detailed every aspect of the journey; daily weather conditions, equipment breakdowns, logistical problems, etc. As I read the book, I was repeatedly struck by just how difficult the journey was; the expedition was a daily exercise in survival for man and dog alike. Hundreds of deep crevasses had to be crossed, passes through mountains navigated and food and supply caches located, often in blinding snow and brutal weather conditions. Even with three years of careful planning and training, seven months of daily exposure to Antarctica’s harsh conditions demanded everything the team members had, both physically and mentally.
The book was one of the best I have read in a long time. I found it a captivating read and would highly recommend it to anyone. The account is truly a testament to mankind’s infinite possibilities; even the seemingly impossible can be accomplished if you possess the will to achieve it.
January 18, 2012
I enjoyed this adventure very much... more than I thought I would. I think the reason it was so appealing is that I knew so little about Antarctica. I found it fascinating that the expedition brought together people from 6 different countries. This mission of discovery for science, respect for this unforgiving continent, including 6 people from different cultures and languages uniting in this mission of peace is a testament of what is possible. We all need to take ownership (shared) of our planet, and this expedition encourages me that this can happen. I gained a new appreciation for my warm bed, hot meals, and sitting on furniture. I also gained a greater appreciation for Antarctica in all it's beauty and hardship (as seen through the eyes of Will Steger). Finally, I am amazed by the dedication and drive the sled dogs had for this kind of journey. They literally wowed me. I am an animal lover, and the amount of love and respect the team of explorers had for these rare and amazing animals will stay with me forever.
July 18, 2017
Will Steger does a very fine job of telling the compelling and true story of how his expedition crossed the Earth's southernmost continent. He describes in vivid detail how grueling the journey was, in a log sort of format. The reader is able to get a very good sense (while in your favorite chair) of what the day-to-day life was in their travels- the hardships, the dangers and the joys.
It is very clear that the author cares very deeply about Antarctica, and this was in fact one of the reasons for embarking on this tremendous and historic journey. Steger does see and describe how cooperation among participating nations in Antarctica is mostly the case, and is very important.
It is very clear that the author cares very deeply about Antarctica, and this was in fact one of the reasons for embarking on this tremendous and historic journey. Steger does see and describe how cooperation among participating nations in Antarctica is mostly the case, and is very important.
September 24, 2017
Easy to read and gripping, every page held my attention and built my interest in Antarctica. I've always been fascinated by Antarctica, and this book has inspired me to learn more about this beautiful, remote continent. I really appreciated the way Steger wove information about climate, international relations, environmental concerns, history, dog sledding, and more throughout the book in a way that remained surprisingly engaging. This was a very enjoyable read, especially on hot summer days.
July 25, 2019
I picked this up in a lodge in the Arctic (and I have traveled to Antarctica, although as a tourist, not an explorer); there are few places on earth as unforgiving as the polar regions, and this memoir is an intimate look into the mechanics of what makes a successful expedition. If you like adventure stories, this one is worth a read. You know right off they make it across, so there isn’t that sort of tension, but reading about the conditions humans can and willingly survive is enthralling.
February 8, 2024
How do you sweat in the bone chilling temperatures of Antarctica? Read an adventure by Will Steger who put you into his boots in this fantastic telling of his trip. Personally I've not had the desire or initiative to do one of Steger's adventures onto either Pole, and fortunately now I won't need to for his apt descriptions handles that quite well. Well worth the read (although you may need a quilt to stay warm!).
March 21, 2019
What are we without exploring?
November 6, 2022
Very entertaining. A grueling journey.
September 8, 2024
Extremely interesting and brutal journal retelling of a trek across the continent.
November 17, 2010
This book is not very good, but it is a chance to think about Antarctica and the limits of human experience for a little while, and so I read it one evening in the hotel room while Laura slept.
Antarctica! It is more like an abstraction than an actual continent. No one owns it, no one goes there save a handful of scientists, no one really knows -- really knows -- how cold and dark and unforgiving it can be.
At least, that is what everyone says, including the team of adventurers including Will Steger who in 1989 became the first people to cross Antarctica by dogsled, traveling from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, across the South Pole and all the way to Mirnyy Station on the Shackleton Ice Shelf. They made it, but still didn't unlock the continent's secrets. Not their fault! It's hard to do!
The book is structured like a diary of that journey and it gets sort of repetitive -- today we went 15 miles and the dogs are tired; today we couldn't go anywhere because of white-out conditions; rinse, repeat. Boy it sure is cold here.
"Antarctica's identity is starting to reveal itself to us, and it feels distinctly feminine," Steger writes on page 50. What does that mean? Who knows! He doesn't elaborate or return to the thought. Nor does he quite explain the math behind his conclusion that "Traveling in these conditions is 70 percent mental." When a member of the traveling party says he's having doubts about his decision to take the trip, Steger writes "That is the biggest difference between Jean-Louis and me ... I rarely question the path I've taken" and things keep moving right along.
So, not a good book. Fine. Still, it is possible to step back from all that workaday sled-diary stuff and contemplate the incredible extremity of Antarctica. Temperatures of 80, 90, 100 degrees below zero. Blizzards and windstorms that come on in minutes and last for days or disappear in hours. Twenty-four-hour darkness followed by 24-hour light. Impossible. A place that for you or I exists only as an abstraction because we will never go there. A place that cannot exist and yet does.
Antarctica! It is more like an abstraction than an actual continent. No one owns it, no one goes there save a handful of scientists, no one really knows -- really knows -- how cold and dark and unforgiving it can be.
At least, that is what everyone says, including the team of adventurers including Will Steger who in 1989 became the first people to cross Antarctica by dogsled, traveling from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, across the South Pole and all the way to Mirnyy Station on the Shackleton Ice Shelf. They made it, but still didn't unlock the continent's secrets. Not their fault! It's hard to do!
The book is structured like a diary of that journey and it gets sort of repetitive -- today we went 15 miles and the dogs are tired; today we couldn't go anywhere because of white-out conditions; rinse, repeat. Boy it sure is cold here.
"Antarctica's identity is starting to reveal itself to us, and it feels distinctly feminine," Steger writes on page 50. What does that mean? Who knows! He doesn't elaborate or return to the thought. Nor does he quite explain the math behind his conclusion that "Traveling in these conditions is 70 percent mental." When a member of the traveling party says he's having doubts about his decision to take the trip, Steger writes "That is the biggest difference between Jean-Louis and me ... I rarely question the path I've taken" and things keep moving right along.
So, not a good book. Fine. Still, it is possible to step back from all that workaday sled-diary stuff and contemplate the incredible extremity of Antarctica. Temperatures of 80, 90, 100 degrees below zero. Blizzards and windstorms that come on in minutes and last for days or disappear in hours. Twenty-four-hour darkness followed by 24-hour light. Impossible. A place that for you or I exists only as an abstraction because we will never go there. A place that cannot exist and yet does.
May 28, 2008
I met Will Steger at a Global Warming awareness event and after hearing him speak, I wanted to find his book. It's out of print and somewhat rare, but the next day I happened to be walking by the used bookstore and as I walked by, somehow I spotted it buried on a bottom bookshelf.
This book is the account of Steger's Trans-Antarctic expedition. It was a little slow to get into and I did end up putting down the book for quite a while. I found myself going through a difficult and trying experience, however, and reading helped me escape that for a short time. There's just something refreshing about picking up a book and finding yourself in Antarctica, where life is reduced down simply to a journey, survival and teamwork.
Steger's descriptions and explanations of polar exploration are very interesting and enlightening. His vast experience and knowledge shines through. There isn't very much personal reflection, but there is some and it's just enough to make you empathize with the man.
I don't know why, but the second half of the book seemed rushed and anti-climatic. Maybe that is true to the actual journey, I don't know.
After reading and finishing the book, though, I would and already have recommended it to others - especially those who support Will Steger's push to end Global Warming.
This book is the account of Steger's Trans-Antarctic expedition. It was a little slow to get into and I did end up putting down the book for quite a while. I found myself going through a difficult and trying experience, however, and reading helped me escape that for a short time. There's just something refreshing about picking up a book and finding yourself in Antarctica, where life is reduced down simply to a journey, survival and teamwork.
Steger's descriptions and explanations of polar exploration are very interesting and enlightening. His vast experience and knowledge shines through. There isn't very much personal reflection, but there is some and it's just enough to make you empathize with the man.
I don't know why, but the second half of the book seemed rushed and anti-climatic. Maybe that is true to the actual journey, I don't know.
After reading and finishing the book, though, I would and already have recommended it to others - especially those who support Will Steger's push to end Global Warming.
January 11, 2011
This is really a good book. You might think that a book about the monotony of traveling by dogsled across the Antarctic snow for almost 4,000 miles over the course of over 200 days might get boring but somehow this was interesting. The days are divided into short "chapters" so you can read as much, or as little, as you want to. The book brings in a little history and education as it describes the hellish journey day by day. I think that the reader falls into the monotony of the journey in the book and is pushing to finish it just as the members of the team must have been doing.
The expedition was launched by the team to bring attention to the need for protection for the lands of Antarctica and after reading the book you feel strongly for that protection.
The expedition was launched by the team to bring attention to the need for protection for the lands of Antarctica and after reading the book you feel strongly for that protection.
November 27, 2011
This book reminds me how easy I have it, even on the worst of days. This team had to be endlessly persistent in tugging sleds through antarctic conditions, faces cracking, wind blowing, moods dipping.
September 13, 2012
I had the awesome pleasure of meeting Will Steger at a lecture he was doing about Global Warming and the threats to the poles. Very good read for anyone who enjoys adveture journals/diaries or biographies of adventurers
November 9, 2009
Spending 7 months traversing Antarctica is pure insanity - and Steger certainly doesn't romanticize the journey...
December 13, 2009
The best expedition book I have read in my life. This is a must read for anyone who values endurance and takes nature seriously.
January 17, 2011
The whole time I was reading this book I was wondering what on earth would possess someone--anyone--to do this?!? But it was actually quite interesting.
February 14, 2011
Quite a harrowing tale. Great one to read for those have the good fortune to travel in comfort (as the author most certainly did not) as tourists to Antarctica.
August 19, 2011
A harrowing and bitter story. Another great naturalist read.
April 2, 2012
I had the honor to meet Will Steger at the Chocolate Moose in Ely, MN after one of our trips into the Boundary Waters. He's shorter in person.
November 25, 2015
Anytime I hav a little 'bump in the road' - travel woe ..I think of HIS travel experience. I really enjoyed this book, but read it so long ago it is hard to say much about it.
Want to read
March 4, 2015Listed as Q4 = Exceptional!, P3 = A booktalk on this title will excite most people’s interest
May 8, 2018
Excellent story of adventure and survival in the most inhospitable environment on the planet. There's a strong environmental message to the book which rings truer these days then ever before.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews